Embedded stressed nitride liners for cmos performance improvement

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a semiconducting device including a gate region positioned on a mesa portion of a substrate; and a nitride liner positioned on the gate region and recessed surfaces of the substrate adjacent to the gate region, the nitride liner providing a stress to a device channel underlying the gate region. The stress produced on the device channel is a longitudinal stress on the order of about 275 MPa to about 450 Mpa.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/851,828 filed May 21, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to semiconductor materials having enhancedelectron and hole mobilities, and more particularly, to semiconductormaterials that include a silicon (Si)-containing layer having enhancedelectron and hole mobilities. The present invention also providesmethods for forming such semiconductor materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For more than three decades, the continued miniaturization of siliconmetal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) has driventhe worldwide semiconductor industry. Various showstoppers to continuedscaling have been predicated for decades, but a history of innovationhas sustained Moore's Law in spite of many challenges. However, thereare growing signs today that metal oxide semiconductor transistors arebeginning to reach their traditional scaling limits. A concise summaryof near-term and long-term challenges to continued CMOS scaling can befound in the “Grand Challenges” section of the 2002 Update of theInternational Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). A verythorough review of the device, material, circuit, and systems can befound in Proc. IEEE, Vol. 89, No. 3, March 2001, a special issuededicated to the limits of semiconductor technology.

Since it has become increasingly difficult to improve MOSFETs andtherefore complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) performancethrough continued scaling, methods for improving performance withoutscaling have become critical. One approach for doing this is to increasecarrier (electron and/or hole) mobilities. Increased carrier mobilitycan be obtained, for example, by introducing an appropriate strain intothe Si lattice.

The application of stress changes the lattice dimensions of the silicon(Si)-containing substrate. By changing the lattice dimensions, theenergy gap of the material is changed as well. The change may only beslight in intrinsic semiconductors resulting in a small change inresistance, but when the semiconducting material is doped, i.e., n-type,and partially ionized, a very small change in energy bands can cause alarge percentage change in the energy difference between the impuritylevels and the band edge. Thus, the change in resistance of thesemiconducting material with stress is large.

Compressive longitudinal stress along the channel increases drivecurrent in p-type field effect transistors (pFET) and decreases drivecurrent in n-type field effect transistors (nFET). Tensile longitudinalstress along the channel increases drive current in nFETs and decreasesdrive current in pFETs.

Nitride liners positioned atop field effect transistors (FETs) have beenproposed as a means to provide stress based device improvements.Referring to FIG. 1, a prior field effect transistor (FET) 19 isprovided including a nitride liner 15′ positioned on a gate region 5 andatop a planar substrate surface 33, in which the nitride liner 15′produces a stress on the device channel 12. The device channel 12 islocated between source/drain regions 6 and source/drain extensionregions 7. The source/drain regions 6 further comprise silicide regions11. The gate region 5 includes a polysilicon gate 3 atop a gatedielectric 2. Sidewall spacers 14 abut the gate region 5. The stresstransfer in this prior FET is limited and the typical channel stressproduced by the nitride liner 15′ ranges from about 150 MPa to about 200MPa.

There is a continued need to produce higher stresses on the channel ofthe device than previously possible using nitride liners, in which thestress provides stress based device improvements.

SUMMARY

One object of the present invention is to provide a field effecttransistor (FET) having a nitride liner that produces a compressive ortensile stress on the channel region of the device at a magnitudegreater than previously known limits. This objective is provided by anitride liner deposited atop a FET, in which the nitride liner is formedatop a gate region on a mesa portion of a substrate and the nitrideliner is formed atop a recessed surface of the substrate, in which therecessed surface of the substrate is vertically offset from the mesaportion of the substrate. The recessed surface of the substrate furthercomprises silicide regions. A portion of the nitride liner formed atopthe recessed surface of the substrate is positioned below the topsurface of the mesa portion of the substrate, in which this portion ofthe nitride liner may be described as partially embedded.

Broadly, the inventive semiconducting device comprises:

a gate region positioned on a mesa portion of a substrate; and

a nitride liner positioned on at least the gate region and located onrecessed surfaces of the substrate adjacent to the gate region, thenitride liner providing a stress to a device channel underlying the gateregion.

On either side of the gate region, the nitride liner of the presentinvention is located on recessed surfaces of the substrate, in which therecessed surfaces lie below the top surface of the mesa portion ofsubstrate that the gate region is positioned on. The upper surface ofeach recessed portion of the substrate further comprises a silicidecontact and is vertically offset from the top surface of the mesaportion of the substrate by a depth ranging from about 10 nm to about 80nm. In silicon-on-insulating (SOI) substrates, the surface of thesubstrate may not be recessed into the buried insulating layer. Thenitride liner can comprise of Si₃N₄ and can have a thickness rangingfrom about 40 nm to about 100 nm n.

The gate region comprises a gate conductor atop a gate dielectric. Thegate region can further include sidewall spacers abutting the gateconductor and the gate dielectric. The recessed portions of thesubstrate flanking the gate region further comprise source/drainregions. The device channel of the substrate is positioned below thegate region in the mesa portion of the substrate and the stress producedon the critical channel region is a longitudinal stress on the order ofabout 250 MPa to about 450 MPa. The critical channel region may bepositioned at a depth of approximately 5 nm or less from the gateregion. In comparison to prior FETs having nitride liners atop a gateregion and coplanar substrate as depicted in FIG. 1, the presentinvention provides an increase in device performance ranging from about10% to about 50%.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nitride liner may bepositioned in closer proximity to the gate conductor of the gate regionby removing the sidewall spacers that abut the gate conductor. In thisembodiment, a step region of the substrate is provided on each side ofthe gate conductor. In broad terms, this embodiment of the inventivesemiconducting device comprises:

a substrate comprising a mesa surface and a recessed surface adjacentthereto;

a gate region on a portion of the mesa surface of the substrate, whereina remaining portion of the mesa surface of the substrate provides stepregions to the recessed surface of the substrate; and

a nitride liner positioned on the gate region, the step region, and therecessed surface of the substrate, the nitride liner providing a stressto a device channel underlying the gate region.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method of forming the abovedescribed gate regions, which include a nitride liner that provides alongitudinal stress within the underlying portion of the substrate onwhich the gate region is formed. Broadly, the method of presentinvention comprises the steps of:

forming a gate region atop a portion of a substrate;

forming sidewall spacers abutting the gate region;

forming a hardmask atop the gate region;

etching the substrate selective to the hardmask and the sidewall spacersto form a recessed substrate surface offset from the portion of thesubstrate on which the gate region is formed; and

forming a nitride liner on at least the gate region and the recessedsubstrate surface, wherein the nitride liner provides a stress to theportion of the substrate underlying the gate region.

The gate region may be formed by depositing a gate dielectric layer;depositing a gate conductor; and then etching the gate conductor and thegate dielectric using photolithography and etching. Sidewall spacers maythen be formed abutting the gate region and source/drain regions. Theexposed surfaces of the substrate adjacent to the gate region areetched, using a directional etch process, to form recessed substratesurfaces. The recessed substrate surfaces further comprise silicideregions. The substrate surface is recessed by about 10 nm to about 80nm. If the substrate is an SOI substrate, the substrate surface may notbe recessed into the buried insulating layer. The nitride liner is thenformed atop the gate region and the recessed surface of the substrate byplasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition or rapid thermal chemicalvapor deposition. The nitride liner may be deposited under conditionsthat produce a compressive stress or a tensile stress.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation (through a cross-sectional view)showing a prior gate region incorporating a nitride liner deposited atopthe gate region and atop the top surface of a planar substrate.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation (through a cross-sectional view) ofone embodiment of the inventive semiconducting device incorporating anitride liner formed atop the gate region and atop a recessed surface ofthe substrate, in which the nitride liner is embedded.

FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation (through a cross-sectional view) ofanother embodiment of the inventive gate region incorporating a nitrideliner formed atop the gate region, atop a step region of the substratethat flanks the gate region, and atop a recessed surface of thesubstrate.

FIG. 4 depicts (through cross-sectional view) the stress produced in aprior semiconducting device having a nitride liner, as depicted in FIG.1.

FIG. 5 depicts (through cross-sectional view) the stress produced in oneembodiment of the inventive semiconducting device incorporating anembedded nitride liner deposited atop the gate region and atop arecessed surface of the substrate, as depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a plot of the internal stress within the channel produced bythe nitride liner versus the thickness of the gate region sidewallspacer, where the internal stress is measured at a depth of 5 nm fromthe top surface of the substrate at the gate edge.

FIG. 7-12 are pictorial representations (through cross-sectional views)showing the basic processing steps that are employed to produce theinventive semiconducting structure. FIGS. 7-10 represent the initialprocess steps for producing the semiconducting structure depicted inFIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 11(a)-12(a) depict the final process steps forproducing the semiconducting structure depicted in FIG. 2. FIGS.11(b)-12(b) depict the final process steps for producing thesemiconducting structure depicted in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a field effect transistor (FET), and amethod of forming thereof comprising a gate structure on asemiconducting substrate, in which a longitudinal stress is applied to aportion of the semiconducting substrate underlying the gate structure toincrease the FET's performance. The present invention advantageouslyprovides a longitudinal stress to the portion of the substrateunderlying the gate region by forming a nitride liner positioned on thegate region and atop recessed portions of the substrate adjacent to thegate region, in which a portion of the nitride liner is embedded belowthe top surface of the substrate on which the gate region is formed. Thepresent invention is now discussed in more detail referring to thedrawings that accompany the present application. In the accompanyingdrawings, like and or corresponding elements are referred to by likereference numbers.

Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment of the present invention, a fieldeffect transistor (FET) 20 is provided, in which a longitudinal stressis produced in the device channel 12. The longitudinal stress in thedevice channel 12 of the FET is provided by a nitride liner 15positioned atop the gate region 5 and atop the recessed surfaces 9 ofthe substrate 10 adjacent to the gate region 5. The recessed surfaces 9of the substrate 10 are vertically offset D₁ from the top surface of themesa portion 21 of the substrate 10, wherein the gate region 5 is formedatop the top surface of the mesa portion 21 of the substrate 10. The topsurface of the recessed portion 9 of the substrate 10 is recessed to adepth D₁ ranging from about 10 nm to about 80 nm from the top surface ofthe mesa portion 21 of the substrate 10. The recessed portion 9 of thesubstrate flier comprises silicide regions 11.

The gate region 5 comprises a gate conductor 3 atop a gate dielectric 2.Sidewall spacers 14 abut the gate region 5. The substrate 10 furthercomprises source/drain regions 6 that are substantially aligned to theoverlying sidewall spacers 14 and extension regions 7 that extendbeneath the sidewall spacers 14. A channel 12 is positioned between theextension regions 7 and beneath the gate region 5. The recessed portion9 of the substrate 10 is aligned with the outer surface of the sidewallspacers 14.

A nitride liner 15, preferably comprising Si₃N₄, is positioned atop thegate region 5, the sidewall spacer 14, and the recessed portion 9 of thesubstrate 10. The nitride liner 15 has a thickness ranging from about 40nm to about 100 nm. The nitride liner 15 produces a longitudinal stressof the channel of the device ranging from about 250 MPa to about 450MPa. Preferably, the greatest stress produced by the nitride liner 15 isin the portion of the device channel 12 positioned at a depth ofapproximately 5 nm or less from the gate region 5.

Referring to FIG. 3, in another embodiment of the present invention, thesidewall spacers 14 are removed prior to forming the nitride liner 15.In this embodiment, the gate region 5 is positioned on a centeredportion of the mesa surface 21 of the substrate 10, in which stepregions 23 adjacent to the centered portion of the mesa surface 21 serveas the transition between the mesa surface 21 and the recessed surface9. The mesa surface 21 is offset from the recessed surface 9 of thesubstrate 10 by a depth D₁ ranging from about 10 nm to about 100 nm.

In this embodiment, the nitride liner 15 is positioned on the gateregion 5, the step region 23, and the recessed surface 9 of thesubstrate 10, and provides a stress to the device channel 12 of thesubstrate 10 ranging from about 350 MPa to about 550 MPa. Similar to theFET depicted in FIG. 2, the FET depicted in FIG. 3 further comprises agate conductor 3, gate dielectric 2, source/drain regions 6, andsource/drain extension regions 7. An advantage of this embodiment isthat the stress from the nitride liner 15 is brought as close aspossible to the channel region 12 of the device, therefore achieving thegreatest stress within the channel 12.

The stress produced by the inventive nitride liners depicted in FIGS. 1and 2 are now described in more detail. The stress produced by theinventive nitride liner 15, as depicted in FIG. 2, is described withreference to the stress simulation depicted in FIG. 5. For comparativepurposes, the stress produced by a prior nitride liner 15′, as depictedin FIG. 1, is described with reference to the stress simulation depictedin FIG. 4. The x-axis and y-axis of the stress simulations depicted inFIGS. 4 and 5 represent distance in microns.

Referring to FIG. 4, a stress simulation is provided depicting half of aprior FET 19, where the centerline 29 of the gate conductor 3 ispositioned on the z-axis. The centerline 29 of the channel region 12 isalso positioned on the z-axis. The prior nitride liner 15′ is formedatop the gate region 5 and atop a planar surface 33 of the substrate 10to provide a stress to the channel region 12 of the device. The stresslines 25, 26, 27 illustrated in FIG. 4 are measured from the top surfaceof the substrate 10.

Still referring to the stress simulation depicted in FIG. 4, the priornitride liner 15′ produces a stress on the channel 12 of the device,where the stress extends from the nitride liner/gate interface 28 to thechannel region 12. A 100 MPa stress line 25 indicates that a stress ofapproximately 100 MPa is produced in the portion of the channel 12underlying the sidewall of the gate conductor 2 at a depth ofapproximately 40 nm; and a stress of approximately 100 MPa is producedat the centerline 29 of the channel at a depth of approximately 60 nm n.

A 200 MPa stress line 26 is depicted extending from the nitrideliner/gate interface 28 into the channel region 12. The 200 MPa stressline 26 indicates that a stress of approximately 200 MPa is produced atthe portion of the channel 12 underlying the sidewall of the gateconductor 2 at a depth of approximately 20 nm; and that a stress of 200MPa is produced at the centerline 29 of the channel 12 at a depth ofapproximately 30 nm.

A 300 MPa stress line 27 is depicted extending from the nitrideliner/gate interface 28 into the channel region 12. The 300 MPa stressline 27 indicates that a stress of approximately 300 MPa is produced atthe portion of the channel 12 underlying the sidewall of gate conductor2 at a depth of approximately 10 nm; and that a stress of approximately300 MPa is produced at the centerline 29 of the channel 12 at a depth ofapproximately 10 nm.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a stress simulation is provided depicting halfof the FET 20 of the present invention, in which the recessed portion 9of the substrate 10 is recessed 20 nm from the mesa portion 21 of thesubstrate 10. The inventive nitride liner 15 is positioned atop the gateregion 5 and the recessed portions 9 of the substrate 10 adjacent to thegate region 5. The centerline 29 of the gate region 5 and the devicechannel 12 is positioned on the z-axis. The stress lines 25, 26, 27, 28,depicted in FIG. 5, are measured from the portion of the mesa portion 21of the substrate 10 on which the gate region 5 is positioned.

Still referring to the stress simulation depicted in FIG. 5, theinventive nitride liner 15, positioned on the recessed surfaces 9 of thesubstrate adjacent to the gate region 5, produces an increasedlongitudinal stress on the device channel region 12, when compared toprior nitride liners that are produced on planar substrate surfaces. Thestress radiates from the nitride liner/recessed substrate surfaceinterface 30 to the channel region 12 of the device. A 100 MPa stressline 25 indicates that a stress of approximately 100 MPa is produced atthe portion of the channel 12 underlying the sidewall of the gateconductor 3 at a depth of approximately 75 nm; and a stress ofapproximately 100 MPa is produced at the centerline 29 of the channelregion 12 at a depth of approximately 85 nm.

A 200 MPa stress line 26 is depicted extending from the nitrideliner/recessed substrate surface interface 30 into the channel region12. The 200 MPa stress line 26 indicates that a stress of approximately200 MPa is produced at the portion of the channel 12 underlying thesidewall of the gate conductor 3 at a depth of approximately 40 nm; andthat a stress of 200 MPa is produced at the centerline 29 of the channel12 at a depth of approximately 50 nm.

A 300 MPa stress line 27 is depicted extending from the nitrideliner/recessed substrate surface interface 30 into the channel region12. The 300 MPa stress line 27 indicates that a stress of approximately300 MPa is produced at the portion of the channel 12 underlying thesidewall of the gate conductor 3 at a depth of approximately 25 nm; andthat a stress of approximately 300 MPa is produced at the centerline 29of the channel region 12 at a depth of approximately 30 nm.

A 400 MPa stress line 28 is depicted extending from the nitrideliner/recessed substrate surface interface 30 into the channel region12. The 400 MPa stress line 28 indicates that a stress of approximately400 MPa is produced at the portion of the channel 12 underlying thesidewall of the gate conductor 2 at a depth of approximately 15 nm. The400 MPa stress line 28 indicates that a stress of approximately 400 MPaor greater is produced within the portion of the channel 12 at a depthof 10 nm or less.

The above stress simulations clearly indicate that positioning thenitride liner 15 atop a gate region 5 and atop substrate 10 havingrecessed surfaces 9 that are adjacent to the gate region 5, as depictedin FIG. 5, provides a greater longitudinal stress to the device channel12 than prior nitride liners 15′ that are formed atop a gate positionedon a planar substrate, as depicted in FIG. 4.

The stress produced in the device channel by the nitride liner can bevaried by changing the thickness of the sidewall spacers that abut thegate region. The relationship between sidewall spacer width (nm) and thestress (MPa) produced in the channel is illustrated in the plot depictedin FIG. 6. The stress produced by the nitride liner of the presentinvention versus sidewall spacer width is plotted in recessed liner dataline 31 and the stress produced by a prior nitride liner versus sidewallspacer width is plotted in comparative data line 32. The stress plottedin FIG. 6 was measured from the portion of the channel underlying thesidewall of the gate conductor 3 at a depth of approximately 5 nm.

Still referring to FIG. 6, the recessed liner data line 31 indicatesthat the longitudinal stress produced in the device channel by a nitrideliner formed on recessed surfaces of the substrate adjacent to the gateregion ranges from approximately 450 MPa, when the spacer width isapproximately 20 nm, to approximately 300 MPa, when the spacer width isapproximately 60 nm. The comparative data line 32 indicates that thelongitudinal stress produced by a prior nitride liner ranges fromapproximately 300 MPa, when the spacer width is approximately 20 nm, toapproximately 225 MPa, when the spacer width is approximately 60 nm. Itis noted that the above examples are provided for illustrative purposesonly and do not limit the scope of the invention.

The methods for forming the inventive semiconducting structures are nowdescribed in greater detail referring to FIGS. 7-12. FIGS. 7-10 depictthe initial process steps for forming the structure depicted in FIGS. 2and 3. FIGS. 11(a)-12(a) depict the final method steps for forming theembodiment of depicted in FIG. 2. FIGS. 11(b)-12(b) depict the finalmethod steps for forming the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 7, a patterned gate region 5 is formed atop asubstrate 10 utilizing conventional methods including deposition andlithography. Specifically, a gate stack is first provided by depositinga gate dielectric layer and then a gate conductor layer usingconventional forming methods, such as chemical vapor deposition.

The substrate 10 includes, but is not limited to: any semiconductingmaterial such conventional Si-containing materials, GaAs, InAs and otherlike semiconductors. Si-containing materials include, but are notlimited to: Si, bulk Si, single crystal Si, polycrystalline Si, SiGe,amorphous Si, silicon-on-insulator substrates (SOI), SiGe-on-insulator(SGOI), annealed poly Si, and poly Si line structures.

When the substrate 10 is a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) orSiGe-on-insulator (SGOI) substrate, the thickness of the Si-containinglayer atop the buried insulating layer can have a thickness on the orderof 30 nm or greater. The SOI or SGOI substrate may be fabricated usingtechniques that are well known to those skilled in the art. For example,the SOI or SGOI substrate may be fabricated using a thermal bondingprocess, or alternatively be fabricated by an ion implantation process,which is referred to in the art as separation by ion implantation ofoxygen (SIMOX).

Still referring to FIG. 7, the gate dielectric layer, formed atop thesubstrate 10, is typically an oxide material and is generally greaterthan 0.8 nm thick, and preferably about 1.0 nm to about 1.2 nm thick.The gate dielectric layer may also be composed of a nitride, oxynitride,or a combination thereof. The gate dielectric layer is formed usingconventional techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomiclayer CVD (ALCVD), pulsed CVD, plasma assisted CVD, sputtering, andchemical solution deposition, or alternatively, the gate dielectriclayer is formed by a thermal growing process, which may includeoxidation, oxynitridation, nitridation, and/or plasma or radicaltreatment. Suitable examples of oxides that can be employed as the gatedielectric layer include, but are not limited to: SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZrO₂,HfO₂, Ta₂O₃, TiO₂, perovskite-type oxides and combinations andmulti-layers thereof. The gate dielectric layer is subsequently etchedto form the gate dielectric 2.

The gate conductor layer can be comprised of polysilicon or anappropriate metal. The gate conductor layer is formed atop the gatedielectric layer utilizing a conventional deposition process such as CVDand sputtering. Preferably, the gate conductor layer comprises dopedpolysilicon. The polysilicon dopant can be elements from group III-A ora group V of the Periodic Table of Elements. The dopant may beintroduced during deposition of the gate conductor layer or followingsubsequent patterning and etch of the gate conductor 3.

A hardmask 8 is then formed atop the gate stack using deposition,photolithography, and highly selective etching. In one example, ahardmask layer is first deposited atop the gate stack and then patternedusing photolithography and etching. The hardmask layer may comprisedielectrics systems that can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition(CVD) and related methods. Typically, hardmask compositions includesilicon oxides, silicon carbides, silicon nitrides, siliconcarbonitrides, etc. Spin-on dielectrics may also be utilized as thehardmask 8 including but not limited too: silsequioxanes, siloxanes, andboron phosphate silicate glass (BPSG).

The hardmask layer is then patterned using photolithography.Specifically, a pattern is produced by applying a photoresist to thesurface to be patterned; exposing the photoresist to a pattern ofradiation; and then developing the pattern into the photoresistutilizing a conventional resist developer. Once the patterning of thephotoresist is completed, the sections covered by the photoresist areprotected, while the exposed regions are removed using a selectiveetching process that removes the unprotected regions of the hardmasklayer forming the hardmask 8.

Following the formation of the hardmask 8, the gate stack is then etchedby a directional etch process, such as reactive ion etch, having highselectivity to removing the material of the gate conductor layer and thegate dielectric layer without substantially etching the hardmask 8 andthe substrate 10. The resultant gate region 5 includes a gate conductor3 positioned atop a gate dielectric 2.

Following the formation of the patterned gate region 5, a protectivelayer 4 is formed about and protecting the patterned gate region 5.Preferably, the protection layer 4 is an oxide, such as SiO₂, producedby thermal oxidation of the gate region 5. Alternatively, the protectivelayer 4 is a nitride, such as Si₃N₄, produced by thermal nitridation.The protective layer 4 has a thickness ranging from about 2 nm to about5 nm. The protective layer 4 may be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 8, source/drain extension regions 7 are then formed insubstrate 10 and partially extend under the gate region 5. Source/drainextension regions 7 are formed via ion implantation and comprise acombination of normally incident and angled implants to form the desiredgrading in the extensions. PFET devices are produced withinSi-containing substrates by doping the source/drain extension regions 7with elements from group V of the Periodic Table of Elements. NFETdevices are produced within Si-containing substrates by doping thesource/drain extension regions 7 with elements from group III-A of thePeriodic Table of Elements. Halo regions can also be formed beneath thesource/drain extension regions 7 using an angled ion implantation and adopant having a conductivity type opposite the source/drain extensionregions 7.

Referring to FIG. 9, following source/drain extension region 7 implants,sidewall spacers 14 are formed abutting the gate region 5. Sidewallspacers 14 are formed using conventional deposition and etch processesthat are well known in the art. Sidewall spacers 14 have a sidewallspacer width W2 ranging from about 20 nm to about 60 nm; most preferablybeing about 10 nm. Sidewall spacers 14 can be comprised of a dielectricmaterial such as a nitride or a combination of oxide and nitridematerials. The sidewall spacer 14 most preferably comprises Si₃N₄.

Following sidewall spacer 14 formation, a higher energy ion implant isconducted to form deep source/drain regions 6. These implants areconducted at a higher energy and higher concentration of dopant than thesource/drain extension region 7 implant. The deep source/drain regions 6are typically doped with a dopant type consistent with the source/drainextension regions 7.

Following deep source/drain region 6 formation, the source/drain 6 andgate region 5 are activated by activation annealing using conventionalprocesses such as, but not limited to: rapid thermal annealing, furnaceannealing, flashlamp annealing or laser annealing. Activation anneal isconducted at a temperature ranging from about 850° C. to about 1350° C.

Referring to FIG. 10, the top surface of the substrate 10 is then etchedto provide a recessed surface 9, on which the nitride liner issubsequently formed. During this etch process the gate conductor 3 isprotected by the hardmask 8. The top surface of the substrate 10 isetched by a direction etch process, such as a reactive ion etch, havinghigh selectivity to removing the Si-containing substrate 10 withoutsubstantially etching the hardmask 8 and the sidewall spacers 14. Duringthis etch process, the hardmask 8 and the sidewall spacers 14 functionas an etch mask that protects the portion of the substrate 10 underlyingthe gate region 5 and the sidewall spacers 14. The portion of thesubstrate 10 that is protected by the hardmask 8 and the sidewallspacers 14 during this etch process is referred to as the mesa portion21 of the substrate 10. The etch process is preferably timed to recessthe exposed portions of the substrate's upper surface to a depth D₁ranging from about 30 nm to about 100 nm, preferably being 30 nm to 40nm, measured from the top surface of the substrate 10 underlying thegate region 5. Following the etching process, the hardmask 8 may beremoved using conventional processes such as selective etching.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the source/drain regions6 may be formed after the surface of the substrate 10 is etched. In thisembodiment, the source/drain implant and source/drain anneal areconducted after the formation of the recessed surfaces 9 of thesubstrate 10. By producing the source/drain regions 6 followingsubstrate 10 etch, the contact resistance of the source/drain regions 6may be reduced.

Referring to FIG. 11(a), in a next process step silicide regions 11 arethen formed atop the recessed surface 9 and the source/drain regions 6.Silicide formation typically requires depositing a metal layer onto thesurface of a Si-containing material or wafer. The metal layer may beformed using a conventional process including, but not limited to:chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-assisted CVD, high-densitychemical vapor deposition (HDCVD), plating, sputtering, evaporation andchemical solution deposition. Metals deposited for silicide formationinclude Ta, Ti, W, Pt, Co, Ni, and combinations thereof most preferablybeing Co or Ni. Following deposition, the structure is then subjected toan annealing step using conventional processes such as, but not limitedto: rapid thermal annealing. During thermal annealing, the depositedmetal reacts with Si forming a metal silicide. The silicide region 11can decrease the depth of the recessed surface 9 from the portion of thesubstrate underlying the gate region 5 by about 10 nm.

Referring to FIG. 11(b), in another embodiment of the present invention,the sidewall spacers 14 are removed prior to the deposition of thesubsequently formed nitride layer. The sidewall spacers 14 may beremoved using a highly selective etch process that removes the sidewallspacers 14 without substantially etching the substrate 10, the gateconductor 3, the silicide regions 11, and the protective layer 4.

Referring to FIG. 12(a), a nitride liner 15 is then deposited atop theentire structure depicted in FIG. 11(a). The nitride liner 15 produces alongitudinal stress on the portion of the substrate underlying the gateregion 5. Preferably, the nitride liner 15 produces a stress in aportion of the device channel 12 of the substrate 10 positioned about 50nm below the gate region 5. The stress may range from about 250 MPa toabout 450 MPa. The nitride liner 15 preferably comprises Si₃N₄ and mayhave a thickness ranging from about 40 nm to about 100 nm, preferablybeing about 50 nm. The nitride liner 15 may be deposited by plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition or rapid thermal chemical vapordeposition.

The stress produced by the nitride liner 15 may be in a compressive ortensile state. Modifying the process conditions of the nitride liner 15forming method can control whether the state of stress is tensile orcompressive. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) canprovide nitride liners 15 having a compressive or tensile internalstress. The stress state of the nitride liner 15 deposited by PECVD canbe controlled by changing the deposition conditions to alter thereaction rate within the deposition chamber. More specifically, thestress state of the deposited nitride liner 15 may be set by changingthe deposition conditions such as: SiH₄/N₂/He gas flow rate, pressure,RF power, and electrode gap. Although wishing not to be limited, it isbelieved that the incorporation of H into the nitride layer 15 increasesthe compressive nature of the layer. Rapid thermal chemical vapordeposition (RTCVD) can provide nitride liners 15 having an internaltensile stress. The magnitude of the internal tensile stress producedwithin the nitride liner 15 deposited by RTCVD can be controlled bychanging the deposition conditions. More specifically, the magnitude ofthe tensile stress within the deposited nitride layer 15 may be set bychanging deposition conditions such as: precursor composition, precursorflow rate and temperature.

FIG. 12(b) depicts depositing the nitride liner 15 atop the gatestructure depicted in FIG. 11(b). In this embodiment, the nitride liner15 is deposited following the removal of the sidewall spacers 14. Byremoving the sidewall spacers 14 prior to nitride liner 15 deposition,the nitride liner 15 is positioned in closer proximity to the sidewallportions of the gate structure 5 than previously possible when asidewall spacer abutted the gate structure 5.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in formsand details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention. It is therefore intended that the presentinvention not be limited to the exact forms and details described andillustrated, but fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A method of forming a gate structure comprising: forming a gateregion atop a portion of a substrate, wherein a hardmask is atop saidgate region; forming sidewall spacers abutting said gate region; etchingsaid substrate selective to said hardmask and said sidewall spacers toform recessed substrate surfaces offset from said portion of saidsubstrate on which said gate region is formed; and forming a nitrideliner on at least said gate region and said recessed substrate surfaces,wherein said nitride liner provides a stress to said portion of saidsubstrate underlying said gate region.
 2. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid sidewall spacers have a width ranging from about 20 nm to about 60nm.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming source/drainregions following said forming said sidewall spacers.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said recessed substrate surface is offset from saidportion of said substrate on which said gate region is formed by about40 nm to about 100 nm.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein following saidetching said substrate a metal silicide is deposited and annealed toprovide silicide regions.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said formingsaid nitride liner comprises plasma enhanced chemical vapor depositionor rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition.
 7. The method of claim 1wherein said nitride liner is deposited under conditions that produce acompressive stress.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said nitride lineris deposited under conditions that produce a tensile stress.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 wherein forming said gate region comprises: doping atleast said portion of said substrate with a well implant dopant;depositing a gate dielectric layer atop said substrate; depositing agate conductor layer atop said gate dielectric; forming said hardmaskatop said gate conductor; etching said gate conductor layer and saidgate dielectric selective to said hardmask to define said gate conductorregion; and forming a sidewall oxidation layer on said gate region bythermal oxidation.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said sidewallspacers are removed prior to said forming said nitride liner.